Neuralgia - Can anticonvulsants cause neuralgic pain worse?

After taking Gabapentin and stopping it my PAIN was way worse than BEFORE taking it.. my experience.

I only use gabapentin and methadone. Could not tolerate the pain without it.
The gabapentin puts the fire out and the methadone quells the other painful symptoms. Unfortunately, I have other very painful maladies coupled with the PHN so sadly I have no choice but to take high doses of both:(

Yes ..happened to me..never felt half the pains i have now before taking. If i dont the pills now though, i get sick and suicidal..not a fan of this d drug at all

I was given gabapentin for some neuralgia in my arms after I had taken a fall. It helped at first. Month s later the pain worsened and I started having terrible neuralgia in my feet and lower legs. To make a long story short, my body was having intermittent withdrawals between doses and this was causing the additional burning and pain. It was very hard for me to finally get off the med, but haven’t had a bit of burning or pain since. Our minds really play tricks on us making us believe our condition has gotten worse, when in reality it is our body wanting more of these medicines that work off of our nervous systems. Bite the bullet and slowly get off the gabapentin and I believe you will be surprised - but it may not be easy - so addicting!

I’m only on 200 mg gabapentin ( to start) for last 4 days... my muscle pains definitely appear to be WORSE!! I have call in to my dr today..
What’s this about?

I have taken both gabapentin and Lyrica. Both felt good for a while but eventually appeared to be covering up the fact they were making the neuropathy worse. With both drugs, eventually the pain broke thru. For example, I stopped taking Lyrica after a year and a half and my neuropathy had gone from a painful foot condition to pain up to my knees. Two years later, with the help of class 4 laser treatments, I am back to where I was before the Lyrica. I have Nerve Conduction results that prove things got progressively worse during Lyrica and better after stopping it. For the record, despite my NCV tests, my neurologist refuses to believe Lyrica could be the cause.

Yes I have same problem. I never felt most of pain I have now before taking. If I don't take I get physically I'll and very suicidal. I hate this medication and wish never took.

I have postherpetic nerve pain and was prescribed Lyrica. After only 3 doses the medication set my feet and hands on fire with pain. The pain was exacerbated dramatically and it has not abated since stopping the medication after those 3 doses. It has been 10 months and it has been hell.

I've taken Lyrica for 12 or so years and am currently at the max 200mgx3 with no adverse effects. Remember everyone's body chemistry is different and what works for one person may have totally different effect for another. I have had PHN for 13 years and have tried every drug and remedy out there including Quetenza, costal blocks, acupuncture with minimal relief.

I have been taking gabapentin for only 4 nights so far for nerve pain. And it seems like my pain is actually getting worse. I know the instructions say it may take a week or two to work, but I woke up this morning in so much pain - it's never been this bad. I decided to pose the question on google and found this site. Now, after reading these responses I think I will stop taking altogether.

Have been on Lyrica up to 200mgx3 and found it to be helpful in taking a bit of the edge off. I can really tell it if I have missed taking one . But everyone is different and body chemistry differs. I am a 13 year pin sufferer.
JimV

I got put on lyrica after about 4 days on 25 milligrams a day my neuralgia pain in my head got so bad i thought i was being electric shock on my brain it took my breath away i couldnt lay down ive heard it can im not az bad today better than yesterday

I had tried Lyrica, Neurontin and then Gabapentin and none of them helped my pain or my Neuropathy pain. My Neuropathy pain only continued to get worse until my daily life I was experiencing what felt like having the bottom and sides of my feet felt as if I was being bit by thousands of fire ants. They were so excruciating. So I looked up if Gabapentin could actually cause neuropathy and it said yes. I weaned myself off of the Gabapentin and the pain and burning reduced by 50 to 75 percent. Some days I barely feel it and some days they burn and hurt but nothing like I was suffering.

I tried Lyrica and Cymbalta but they both made my pain worse. My muscles were in so much pain also that I could hardly get out of bed. The many side effects were horrible. I found that they both made me feel dizzy, confused and forgetful. I felt like I was in a fog. I gained over 80 pounds. Some was water weight. They affected my hearing and eyesight. I am completely off Lyrica and I’m tapering off Cymbalta now. I’m down from 60 mg to 15 mg and almost every side effect is gone. I have hardly any pain now.